PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Randall Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danok Linus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Mercer
vs
Linus

169 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
19
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Randall Mercer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Danok Linus!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Mercer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Linus drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mercer defends it well.
Mercer misses with a head kick.
Linus swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mercer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Linus swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Linus enables Mercer to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Linus manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Linus has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Mercer off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Mercer shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mercer takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice cross by Linus.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Linus scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Linus wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mercer keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linus is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Linus slows the pace down.
Linus wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mercer keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mercer wants to control but Linus postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Linus landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Mercer is being controlled here.
Linus has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Mercer!
Linus controlling from the full mount.
Mercer taking shots to the head.
Linus with good strikes from the mount here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Linus moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Mercer has worked his arm free - good work by Mercer!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linus moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Linus trying to control the position but Mercer is working away.
Mercer being controlled for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Linus tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Linus content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Linus scores with a couple of short elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercer gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Linus sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danok Linus dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mercer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Linus pinned against the cage. Linus gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mercer on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Linus closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Linus wants the takedown. Mercer is fighting it off but Linus persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Mercer's guard against the cage.
Mercer bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Linus's guard.

Linus is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Linus gets control of Mercer's arms and successfully pulls guard. Linus will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Mercer being controlled here momentarily.
Mercer has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Mercer wants to stand and escape but instead Linus has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Mercer controls Linus momentarily but Linus frees himself.
Linus trying to control but Mercer is working from the bottom.
Mercer looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linus makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Mercer wants to get back to his feet but Linus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Linus controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Let's hope that Linus has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Linus postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Linus engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Linus cracks Mercer with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer wants to stand up but Linus is controlling him.
Mercer trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mercer fails to land the takedown.
Linus swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mercer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Linus pinned against the cage. Linus gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Mercer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mercer on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Linus drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Linus is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Linus stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Mercer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Linus looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercer drops his hands momentarily and Linus takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mercer closes this distance looking for a takedown but Linus circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danok Linus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mercer ducks right into an uppercut from Linus.
Mercer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Linus dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mercer shoots and misses
and Linus counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Mercer is rocked!

Linus dives in and gets a big takedown. He lands in full mount and immediately unloads a series of heavy strikes! Mercer has had enough and taps out.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Danok Linus!
An out of breath Danok Linus thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.